Priapeia

Priaepia

by divers poets in English verse and prose. Translated by Sir Richard Burton and Leonard C. Smithers

  1. Frontage a thousand feet, three hundred fieldwards, a land mark
  2. Here assigned, lest the ground monumental follow the heir folk.
  3. Now 'tis salubrious made: one fives in th' Esquiliae, also
  4. Walks on the sunny mound, where erstwhile showed to folk sad-eyed
  5. Fields by bones deformed a-glistening ghostly and ghastly;
  6. Yet for me never was aught, or thieves or ferals accustomed
  7. This foul spot to behaunt, a cause of such care and such trouble
  8. As are the hags who by spells and poisons upset and envenom
  9. Spirits and minds of mankind; these nowise bring to perdition
  10. Nor even hinder can I; no sooner doth wandering Luna
  11. Show her full face than bones and ill herbs they hasten to gather.
  12. I with these eyes espied in sables kilted a-pacing
  13. Canidia, nude-foot, long hair bestrewing her shoulders,
  14. Howling with Sagana th' elder (and paleness had rendered the couple
  15. Horrid of mien); anon both the ground with their talons
  16. Clawing, and black-fleeced lamb with teeth a-tearing to tatters
  17. Either began; its gore in a ditch was spillèd, so thereby
  18. Ghosts might be raised from graves and answers give to their queries.